Ted Nugent Says He Will No Longer Engage in ‘Hateful Rhetoric’

After years of making headlines with belligerent statements about left-leaning politicians and their supporters, Ted Nugent has pledged to take a more thoughtful approach from now on.

Nugent's new outlook, as he shared on WABC's Curtis & Eboni radio talk show, was prompted in part by a stern talking-to from his better half. "At the tender age of 69, my wife has convinced me that I just can’t use those harsh terms," he explained. "I cannot, and I will not, and I encourage even my friends/enemies on the left in the Democrat and liberal world that we have got to be civil to each other."

Coming from Nugent, that's the kind of statement that sends people rushing to their calendars to see if it's April 1 — but he certainly sounded sincere as he continued to lay out his reasons for seeking common ground with his ideological opposites. "I’m going to take a deep breath and I am going to back it down," he continued. "And if it gets fiery, if it gets hateful, I’m going away. I’m not going to engage in that kind of hateful rhetoric anymore."

Even though he continued to insist he's never advocated violence against anyone — an assertion that was challenged by co-host Curtis & Eboni 'sEboni Williams — Nugent chalked up his propensity for that "hateful rhetoric" to the excitement of getting caught up in rock 'n' roll.

"I don’t know if you can grasp the degree of adrenaline and intensity and sheer over-the-top animal spirit and attitude that I live on stage," said Nugent. "I’ve got to take that deep breath." Nugent will be hitting the road for his summer Rockin' America Again tour next week - you can get complete details and tickets at his official website.